As the Paris Olympics come to an end, I am, once again, left with mixed emotions. While the spirit, comradery and athleticism of the contestants is inspiring, the underlying nationalism shines through. Celebrities in the crowd (often on camera) represent our nation and attest to our pride.
Entertained and amazed by the performance of the athletes, we cannot help but root for our home country and are kept informed of the ever-changing "medal counts." Of course, the U.S., China, Australia and other wealthy nations dominate the scoreboard, having molded their participants with the best training that money can buy. The hard work of the athletes cannot and should not be denied but many opportunities have paved the way for their success.
Then there is the fact that, in the end, only the gold medals count. More than tokens of athletic achievement, they open doors for future income; once the games are over, marketers and the public focus only on the winners. Finally, one wonders if the money spent on hosting the Olympics (and the Olympic trials) is justified, especially considering the many social and environmental problems facing humanity and our planet.
